2017 Behind the Scenes

by Nancy Ray on January 22, 2018

This is it! Our favorite post of the year! Every January we take the time to recap our favorite sessions, weddings, and families, and then we finish up with our Behind the Scenes blogpost that captures our crazy shenanigans as we work hard to love our clients well.

In this post, you’ll get to see and hear from myself, Callie, and Olivia as we recap some favorite moments and behind the scenes photos from 2017.

Let me say this: 2017 was a GOOD year. We broke the record for shooting the most weddings we’ve ever photographed as a studio (33), and we made some amazing memories along the way. To every bride, groom and family we had the honor of serving this year, THANK YOU! I hope you enjoy taking a peek at what goes on behind the scenes as we shoot!

We’ll start with a dorky selfie I took while photographing some boutonnieres on a mirror platter! Ha!

Olivia: I think this was my most favorite wedding I have ever done with Nancy, and let me tell you, this girl was working MAGIC in this moment!

Callie: I got the opportunity to second shoot 3 times this year and I was quickly reminded how heavy that 70-200 lens is! My wrists were sore the next day ?

Olivia: This was the best way to end my year, shooting Nancy’s sister-in-law, a friend, and the most beautiful bride, Jess!

Nancy: I was a bridesmaid at Jess’s wedding, and watching Olivia work, with Callie as her 2nd shooter, was such a treat. One of the biggest things I noticed was how discreet they were! I kept looking around trying to find them, but they were so stealthy, which I think is a huge compliment to the way they work. I was so impressed, and of course I knew Jess was in the best of hands!

Nancy: I like to call this one “crouching tiger hidden dragon” ?

Callie: This is my “we made it to the reception” boogie ?

Olivia: I’m pretty sure my exact words after taking this photo were “This is the best picture I have taken all year.” and I would say that is pretty accurate.

Nancy: Oh I love this picture of me and Jamie – our past NRP intern and the sweetest bride! I was pregnant with Lyndon at the time of her bridal session (above), and Lyndon was just 6 weeks old when I photographed her wedding. I wouldn’t do that for just anyone, but I certainly would for Jamie!!

Callie: Jen learned to confidently shoot in film this year and I am so proud of her! She’s an incredible photographer and second shooter!

Olivia: This was the best, and while we were all super nervous about the rain, my couple was behind us killing it, and it turned out to be some of my favorite images of all time.

Callie: Watching + second shooting with Olivia this year was definitely a highlight of mine!

Olivia: Having Callie as my second shooter was one of my highlights too!

Nancy: Can we just appreciate the awkward stance here? I don’t know why we photographers crouch like we do, but it does make for some gorgeous photos! (lol love you Liv!)

Nancy: The classic Callie “stance”

Callie: This was on our double wedding weekend. Olivia showed up Sunday morning after we had both shot a long wedding with our favorite Jubala lattes and that’s definitely what fueled us to get through day 2! I just love her.

Callie: This is hands down one of my favorite memories from 2017. In October, I traveled to Florida to second shoot with Olivia. Earlier in the year, we decided to tell Kate that I wasn’t going to be able to come. I made sure not to post anything on social media about being in Florida and on the morning of her wedding I completely surprised her and her family! Kate is best friends and the sister-in-law of one of my past brides, Abigail which made this day so much fun! Such a sweet day with a family that we ADORE.

Olivia: These three girls hold such a special place in my heart. Getting to share in BOTH of their wedding days (these two are best friends and sister-in-laws) was such a joy. This Florida wedding was definitely top on my list of 2017 moments!

Callie: I love this picture of Kasey during her bridal session because it’s such an accurate picture – touching up make up and proud momma taking a picture on her phone!

Olivia: Being in the wedding industry is fun and I just love getting to work with friends who are also in this industry, BUT, working with my siblings, Muddy Trails Videography, is the best thing ever. Doesn’t get much better than this.

Nancy: Will is such a servant on wedding days. He doesn’t shoot with me often anymore because we love it when he stays home with the girls while I work, but goodness I love it when he does.

Nancy: Izzy was our beautiful summer intern, and she added such humor and had the heart of a servant. We adore her! You might see her more often in 2018 as she’s in training to be a 2nd shooter for our team!

Nancy: I love this picture of Anna, our sweet intern, and Elizabeth, our family photographer and my 2nd shooter for this lovely Fearrington wedding! Both have hearts for families, but goodness they worked their tooshies off on this wedding day for me!

Nancy: Working with friends always makes weddings more fun. We love you Chris and Toni!

Nancy: My FAVORITE behind the scenes photo! 37 Weeks pregnant, my last wedding before Lyndon’s arrival, in the middle of a HOT July day. I sweat so much in this hour of detail shots it’s not even funny! Izzy and Jen were the best support team (no pun intended!) that day, and it was the best finish line! We were all grateful baby Lyndon stayed quite cozy that day!

Callie: Love getting our team members in the picture box for test shots!

Nancy: I am so grateful to have this shot. 6 weeks postpartum with a baby pooch and a smile on my face. I’m never more proud of my work than I am when I have a newborn at home! Goodness do I love my work.

Olivia: This was probably right before Izzy realized we were only a year and a half apart. Love you lots!

Callie: Our sweet, #nrpintern doing some work that’s no so glamorous aka holding a branch out of the shot! The thing is, she’s actually MAKING the shot because without her that branch would have been blocking half of the girl’s faces. Love this girl!

Callie: That’s Liv’s super concentrated face

Olivia: Am I super concentrated, or super faking it for a photo? One will never know!

Olivia: When you have your second shooter and assistant help you check lighting and it creates the best, most awkward photo.

Callie: I love this shot of Nancy! Look at the crazy rain in the background! When looking at the final image of those boutonnieres, I would have never guessed this was the setting. This is why this blogpost is always one of my favorites!

Nancy: This highlands wedding was so special to me. The weather was crazy rain then sun then rain then sun, so this behind the scenes photo is such a perfect example of me trying to find the right light and shelter all day!

Nancy: I’ve been photographing Whitney since she and Nick were engaged! THIS is why I do what I do. Capturing legacies is my heart!

Callie: We photographed 2 past NRP Intern’s weddings this year and it was MAGICAL. Kasey and Zach’s was one of my all time favorites. Plus I just love this girl.

Nancy: I love this picture of Callie and Kasey! Mainly because I saw how their friendship grew in the walls of the NRP Studio first. Kasey served us so well for 3 months, I know it was Callie’s greatest joy to serve Kasey on her wedding day.

Callie: Proof that sometimes you can’t move all distractions out of the background of your image and you just have to embrace it! Also, standing on my tippy toes always helps ?

Olivia: Doing our thing, under Spanish moss and Palm Trees with my siblings and bestie, this is the good stuff, people!

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[…] been behind the scenes at NRP for sometime now, and have even moonlighted in a few of their yearly recap blogposts. My time here began in Spring of 2014 when I started as NRP’s Intern and, after that, began […]